Seasonality was an important factor in the activities of the Stó:lō people. Seasonal rounds for fishing and plant food gathering were determined by the season in which these sources were available. In the spring, temqw'iles
, the first spring salmon was caught, and this was followed by the First Salmon ceremony. The summer, temkw'ó:kw'es
, saw the arrival of other types of salmon and was also a time for berry picking, from the lower elevations up into the alpine areas (as the season progressed). The arrival of autumn, temhilálxw
, saw the harvest of root vegetables and was also the time when hunting for animals such as deer, elk and bear took place. The winter, temxéytl'
, was a time for ceremonies and the foods that were gathered, processed and preserved in the other seasons were used at this time.